Page 98 of Miss Treated

I’d accepted a position in sales with Leo’s security company. Most of my magic I worked remotely from San Diego, but I took the occasional business trip to Las Vegas. “Considering I’ve almost doubled your revenue, I can afford to make whatever choice I want.”

He rolled his eyes but knew it was true. I’d taken to sales like a fish to water. And aside from our good-natured ribbing, my work relationship with Leo was easy. He respected me and was open to my ideas, and I respected the hell out of him and the business he’d created. My aunt Sophia had “retired,” my uncle Frank had received counseling for his gambling addiction, and my cousin Ava had taken over the operation of his business. And now that my father had a new COO, one who was highly qualified, it seemed we’d all settled into our roles.

“We both know Nicky is picking his favorite brother, which obviously is me,” Gabe remarked with confidence.

Leo snorted. “Yeah, right. I’m the favorite.”

“Boys, boys. We shall, of course, settle this like men, with both of you competing for my affection until the wedding. May the best man—literally—win.”

They both shook their heads, but I had no doubt they’d end up getting competitive about it. In the end, I’d have them share the title as the two best men I knew.

“When is Kelsey coming up?” Gabe was fully invested in helping me set up this proposal.

I glanced at my watch. “If traffic cooperates, she should be here by eight o’clock.” Kelsey had accepted a permanent assignment with an auditing firm in San Diego, but she traveled to various client sites up the coast. The latest one had her working out of LA, which meant she wasn’t far from here.

“You got the ring?” Gabe inquired.

I patted my pocket. “Yes. I’ve got it.” Kelsey’s sister-in-law and my mother had helped me pick out the antique, platinum set with a large round diamond in the center and diamond chips along the sides.

After the lights were strung and the stage was set, Leo commented, “Don’t screw it up.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Gabe chuckled. “You’ll be fine. And if you screw it up, flash those dimples and tell her she’s pretty.”

God, having brothers was a real pain sometimes. “Thanks for your help and your complete lack of confidence in my abilities.”

Both of them chuckled but gave me pats on the back. They knew tonight meant a lot to me. I was about to ask the woman of my dreams to spend the rest of her life with me.

Kelsey

I sang along with the car radio, anxious to get up to Santa Barbara where Dominic had rented a yurt for the weekend. In moments like this, it occurred to me how life could take such an incredible sharp turn for the better. I wasn’t naïve enough to believe it would all be smooth sailing, but I was the captain of my own ship. Which meant I could control some aspects of the journey. Like dropping all contact with my parents.

Luckily, I hadn’t been forced to testify in court since my mother and Joel had taken plea deals. The last I heard, the good doctor had lost his medical license as his assistant had rolled on him, revealing he’d been doing this type of thing for years. The thought made me shiver. It was a relief to have it all behind me.

It had been a week since I’d last seen Dominic. Fortunately, my latest job assignment was wrapping up, and I’d be able to spend some more time with him since I’d be back in San Diego. A year into our relationship, he still had a way of making me feel butterflies. The spark which had first captivated me continued to burn. I didn’t just love him, but I loved who I was when I was with him, and who we were together.

Pulling into the site’s address after dusk, I parked and got out of the car. I walked around to the trunk to unload my weekend bag.

“Hello, gorgeous. Come here often?” This particular voice, even while cheesy, could always give me those butterflies.

I grinned to find Dominic holding Lady on a leash. “First time. Was hoping to share a yurt with a handsome stranger. Know any?”

He grinned. “Matter of fact, I do.”

I closed the distance to throw my arms around him and kiss him soundly. I loved the way he ended up scooping me off my feet with the hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. And I wasn’t the only one.”

Lady wiggled around, whining for attention. I was all too happy to give it to her. We walked the path to the yurt. As Dominic had discovered on our first trip, “yurt” was another name for a round tent with a collapsible structure. Some of them could be quite spacious, with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and even a living room and kitchen. But this one was quainter with the focus on a romantic bed, and—

“Ooh, are those lights?” I hadn’t seen those in the online pictures.

“They sure are. Hungry? I brought some food.”

“Starving.” We settled down on the bed with a picnic spread out over the comforter. Dominic had brought a charcuterie board, wine, fruit, and olives. The lights above the bed provided a romantic glow.

“Tell me about the job. How’s it going?” Dominic popped an olive into his mouth.